Made in Heaven
by Crimson Waterfall
Summary: Gundam Wing, Alternative Universe. Duo centered, possibility of 2X1 . Life and Death. Angels and demons. Reality and Fantasy. The line has blurred.
1. Chapter 1

The last few months I have been living in the past

**I'm back! :) Well, actually, I was never really gone, but you get what I mean. It took me a while to get started on a new story because I just felt bled dry (Family business, illnesses).**

**But now I have all this spare energy that I have to channel into something useful 'Or I could start writing again' I thought and that's what I did! ;) Now I'm gonna shut up because no-one reads this shit (oops, the rating just went up ;)) anyway.**

**I did not write a summary because I couldn't without giving away too much of the plot or without making it sound lame. **

**It's a short first chapter to (hopefully) make you interested and curious. It all sounds pretty basic and simple in the beginning, but, as I always do, I will soon start complicating it. **

**I hope you will enjoy it.**

Made in HeavenChapter one: The Twilight Zone

'Daijoubu desu ka? (Are you alright?)'

Out of a thick mist that surrounded his consciousness a voice came and travelled towards him, like it came from a dream, but he could not understand a word of what was blurrily uttered to him.

'Are you alright?' The voice repeated.

Duo was grateful the words finally made sense to him, though through the mist and his pounding headache he was pretty sure that was not what had been said before. He opened his eyes to a blinding light, he forced to keep them open, despite the intensifying of his headache. To ease his throbbing headache he started rubbing his temples, frowning deeply and squinting his eyes against the light till they finally started adjusting to the bright white wash that was all around him. In the light a dark figure appeared and cast a shadow over his face, immediately his face relaxed and his eyes fully adjusted. Able to see again he realised what he was staring at were a pair of old, black, army boots, scruffy and well-worn, on the verge of too-well-worn. Only now did he notice he was lying down, on something not as soft as a bed, but not as hard as the ground. His eyes slowly traced up dark jean clad legs, long dark jean clad legs, he noted duly, up a dirty, once white, long sleeved shirt and up a long, graceful, muscalur neck, straining his own to finally look at the face of the man towering above him.

The face was dark, nothing but a mere silhouette with the source of light, now by Duo identified as the blazing mid-afternoon sun, all he could really tell was that the figure had long, dark bangs that danced in the wind, in front of his face.

'Are you alright?' The mysterious stranger repeats with a monotone voice. The kinds of emotions you'd expect to hear in the voice of someone who is standing over a man, who he had found lying unconsciously on the ground, were absent and he could only trace a hint of annoyance and impatience.

'I suppose so.' His throat hurt like he had been drinking heavily the night before. Drinking bottles of liquid sandpaper that is.

The figure suddenly stepped away, allowing the rays of sunlight to brutalize Duo's face once more. He turned on his other side with a displeased groan. For a moment he lay there quietly, giving his abused eyes the rest they deserved, waiting for the burning imprint of the sun to fade from his retina, before he even dared to peek through his lashes again. His surroundings were still bright, but after some patient moments he was finally able to identify his surroundings and they shocked him. With his eyes open wide, about as much as his mouth, he slowly sat up, ignoring the explosives that set off in his head as he did so.

'Oh my God,' he uttered, flabbergasted. 'Where are we?'

A sarcastic reply came from behind him 'On a beach.'

Ignoring the insensitive tone of voice from his 'companion' Duo just nodded his head dumbly as he looked at the expanse of soft white sand before his eyes, on one side there was the sea, a calm and crisp shade of blue, with waves gently rolling up the beach. On the other side, no palmtrees or any other form of foliage he had hoped to see, but only… more sand. Sandy dunes, the next even taller than the last.

Now that he was sitting up he could feel the wind going by his face, carrying little particles and grains of sand. Often so many that it was impossible to keep his eyes open. Sometimes so many that it even hurt his exposed skin.

He looked back at the other person that was with him, despite his sarcasm and impatience, he was suddenly grateful the stoic, unidentified man was with him. He supposed it was better to be with someone, even when all you'd do is fight, than be alone in a situation like this.

He looked at his face and realised he was far younger than he had estimated him by the sound of his voice. He couldn't be much older than he was himself.

His features were sharp and angular, his skin tanned golden, his lashes were thick and obsytructed any view of his eyes as he stood squinting in the relentless wind, scanning the dunes, then looking over his shoulder to glance at the sea.

Then, finally, the young man turned to look at him. Duo gasped when they made eyecontact and he saw the electric blue of the stoic one's eyes. He had seen them before! He had seen them when he couldn't breathe, when he was losing his consciousness and his body was sinking underneath rough surface of the sea. He remembers reaching out to him, but no more, then it all went dark, till only a few moments ago.

Duo tried to scramble to his feet, but when a wave of pain crashed into his brain he stumbled and fell back down, with his butt in the sand, groaning and holding his head. When he opened his eyes again, the young man was merely watching him. Duo reached out his hand, hoping the man would take it and help him to his feet, but there was no response and Duo's hand hung awkwardly in the air, unanswered. Feeling like a loser who had just been denied a high five, he lowered his hand, more like: let it drop to the ground. _Incredulously_he stared at the wildly haired man for a while, waiting for an explanation of some sorts for his rude behaviour, though probably no response in the world would have been smart enough to explain it, he waited anyway. When he realised he was getting nothing, no help and no explanation, he struggled to rise on his own. When finally standing at eyelevel with the guy he tried to mirror the dangrous glare he was being given by him, but Duo was left more flustered than the other in their little match of glares'O'death. Because the other appeared totally unmoved and above that, literally, did not move, unlike Duo, who had started to fidget.

He decided to cut the man some slack. Afterall, couldn't expect someone to be cheerful and attentive when in the situation they were in and he had already saved him from certain death by drowning, so how much more could a guy want in one day? That is, assuming he had only been out cold for one day, or less.

'You saved my life.' Duo stated. 'I don't know what to say. I guess 'thank you', but that sounds so weird to say to someone who saved your life, I mean, you say 'thank you' to the mailman, or to the cashier, or when someone hands you the butter, not to someone who saves your life. At the risk of his own no less. But, when it comes down to it, 'thank you' is really all I can say so…: Thank you.' Once more he brought up his hand and reached it out to him, this time wanting nothing other than for him to shake it, surely this was not too much to ask for, right? It was only polite, seeing as how they were stuck together for what could become quite a while, they'd better treat each other with respect.

The man just stared at his hand as if it was filthy, while really only some grains of sands stuck to his sweaty palm. He then looked him in the eye, his eyes had narrowed, like he was really annoyed with him now. All of a sudden, he graced him with some more words spoken in that monotone voice of his. 'You talk a lot, do you not?'

Duo, taken aback, lowered his hand, unanswered, once more and got the feeling like he was the unpopulair boy in highschool. Again! 'I don't remember seeing you on the boat.'

The guy just 'hn'ed.

Duo bit back his comment. They were in a dangerous situation, in a foreign environment, they shouldn't be fighting, they should be working together. 'I'm Duo Maxwell.' He bravely held out his hand again. 'Though we've just met, you obviously don't like me and I'm not very fond of you either, I don't wanna be stuck in this situation with you anymore than you do with me. But I am. We both are. I'm standing here offering you my best to get us out of here and all I'm asking in return is for your best effort. So, do we have a deal here?' He firmly spoke.

The man stared back and forth at him and his outstretched hand, then finally, he nodded, lifted his own arm and folded his hand into Duo's, gave it a good squeeze and a single shake before releasing it.

With their deal sealed he started to walk away from Duo. Dumbly, he followed with large strides.

'Aren't you gonna tell me your name?' He asked indignified.

He didn't turn to face him, but instead, kept on walking, up the first dune. This time, however, he was at least 'courteous' enough to answer him. 'You only asked me to give you my best efforts in return, did you not?'

Duo could swore he heard a smug smirk in that voice. He grumbled, he really wanted to know the guys name, how else was he going to call him for the duration of their companionship? _'Smug Smartass'_? Also, Duo found it insulting, after all, he had volunteered his name. _Why does this guys name matter?_ Duo asked himself. _It's hot enough already without getting myself worked up about this._

By the time they reached the top of the dune, Duo was already panting and in the hot blaze of the sun he had started to sweat. His clothes, which had dried up stiff after being in the salty water, while Duo was busy drowning, were getting wet again, on his back, chest and under his arms. His long hair, contained in a thick braid, also stiff with salt and sand, felt heavy against his back. He came to stand next to Smug Smartass and followed his gaze to the sea.

Then all of a sudden, Duo realised with a feeling of peril sneaking up on his, that this was not a sea. It was an ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, all the way from the shore, where the water was light and welcoming, to the horizon, where the water was dark and dangerous. And stretching out behind them, from their feet to as far as the eye could see, were the dunes of the world's largest hot desert. The Sahara.

'My name is Heero.'

Duo sighed. It seemed redundant now.

**Thanks for reading!**

**Love,**

**Crimson.**


	2. Chapter 2

The last few months I have been living in the past

**A second chapter already? Yes. The story is turning out to be more lighthearted than I intended but I'm not gonna change it. After Adopting Duo I've kinda grown tired of those long rambling thoughts and inner conflicts. I decided that Duo's acceptance could be considered fitting for the kind of situation they are in. As is Heero's determination. Be openminded, I hope you'll find a way to enjoy it.**

**Serenity a.k.a Serena: Woa, I couldn't help but notice you immediately listed it as one of our favorite stories, I must admit, that is very flattering, but it also puts the pressure on ;) I hope I will not disappoint you. Thanks for reviewing, I hope to keep hearing from you.**

**Hellfire: Yes, that was indeed my intention and it will be for the next chapters to come ;) Thanks for your review.**

**Snowdragonct: Ah, you again ;) I hope that, for now, I will keep you puzzled and curious and, of course, keep you reading ;) Thanks for your review!**

Made in Heaven_Chapter two: I will survive_

'Fortyone, fortytwo, fortythree,' Duo counted, fixing his eyes on the summit. 'Foftyfour… fortyfive!' He called proudly as he determined he had reached the top of the dune. Heero, who was already in the process of climbing the next, paid him no attention, not even when Duo yelled after him: 'This one took only fortyfive steps to climb!' Slowly he started walking down the other side, it was his favorite part and he was not about to rush it. He did not look forward to climbing the next dune… and the dune after that one, nor the dune after that one. Like they had all the previous ones.

'So you are… what? Oriental or something?' Duo questioned, desperate to fight the silence but tired of counting, straining his eyes to keep them on Heero's dimly lit figure. Though the moon, high up in the night's sky, was bright it didn't do much to illuminate the empty landscape as it was only in the first quarter.

All he could see was Heero's semi-white T-shirt, that reflected the little available light most effectively. But still, it was difficult.

Duo's shoulders were sagged and each step he took became harder and heavier. His feet kept sinking away in the loose sand and pulling them out for the next step was tiring, exhaustive even, after an entire day of tracking through the desert. Though he wasn't sure if what they had been doing could be descibed as 'tracking'. After all, doesn't 'tracking' mean you have a certain destination or objective and you know how to get there and you know where you are?

Duo didn't know if Heero even knew where he was going. After staring at the ocean for about five minutes that afternoon he had abruptly turned around and determinedly started descending down the other side of the dune. Duo had called after him: 'What are you doing?! Isn't it better to stay here?! That's the freakin' _Sahara_ Desert you are walking into! Hellooooo!'

Heero hadn't answered. In fact, Heero hadn't answered any of his questions for the entire duration of the day, after giving him his name.

So it came as quite a shock when from the darkness a voice came, monotone, so definitely Heero's, otherwise Duo might have questioned the source: 'Rugs are Oriental. _People_ are Asian.'

'But you are, aren't you?' Once more his question went unanswered. Duo sighed and stopped for a minute, looking around, pretending to determine their location by the positioning of the stars, but that was bullshit, because he didn't know shit about the stars and just before the sun had set, he had turned his head and strained his eyes, and he had still been able to see the ocean. Though they appeared to be walking fast, they were only covering distance very slowly. And sunset had only been two hours ago.

He was merely stalling. He wanted to stop, but Heero had ignored every suggestion of that sort and quite frankly Duo was too frightened that Heero would leave him on his own if he stayed put. With another, surrendering, sigh, Duo scanned the area around him and spotted the white blur, moving away from him. With a groan he lifted his foot out of the sand, the other sinking in a little deeper and continued after Heero, quickening his pace a little to catch up.

'Ya know, if you're tired, we could stop… ya know? I mean, if we _must_…' Duo panted.

No sound came from Heero other than his steady, though labored, breathing.

'So what's your last name anyway? You only told me first name and I think that, seeing as the possiblity of us dying together is _gigantean_, I think it's only-' Duo stopped when suddenly Heero fell down to the ground right in front of him. At first he figured Heero had tripped, though that would have been very out of character for the him, this much he could determine even after spending only half a day with him. But then Heero's voice came from the ground, annoyed:

'Fine, Duo, we will stop, if you could just shut up.'

Though not looking forward to spending an awkward night with a complete stranger, in a life or death situation, in total silence, he weighed his options and then gladly accepted the offer. Without saying a word he lay down on his back a few feet away from Heero, a distance he thought was appropriate for two people who didn't even know each other, but still have the comfort of knowing another human being was near and he was not alone.

His breath hitched. 'Hey Heero?'

Heero groaned, annoyed. Then muttered: 'What?'

'You won't sneak off in the dead of night and leave me here, right?'

'If you promise you will say no more. Than: No.'

He nodded. After a while he timidly asked: 'Hey Heero?'

'_What_?!'

'Can I say one more thing?'

A long suffering sigh. '… Like I could stop you.'

'Thanks.' Duo said sincerely, growing used to ignoring Heero's sarcasm.

Heero turned his head to look at Duo, his eyes reflecting the dim light of the moon.

Duo smiled at him, grateful, but Heero probably couldn't see in the dark. For that he should be grateful too, he supposed. He could see Heero closing his eyes and not long after he could hear soft snores coming from the young man.

Exhausted himself, Duo closed his eyes too, frowning as he started to notice the cold around him. Now that he was no longer vigorously exercising. He cursed softly when his body reacted to the cold and started shivering. _How can Heero sleep like this?_ Duo asked himself, opening his eyes, seeing only the white of Heero's T-shirt a few feet away. If he held his breath and listened carefully, he could hear Heero's teeth chattering, but still, he slept.

'Does the guy have a freakin' switch or something?'

Starting to become desperate for warmth Duo rolled through the sand towards Heero after some moments of contemplation. It would be a tough situation to explain when morning came, but wouldn't he be doing both of them a favor? Duo reasoned, as he made contact with Heero's warm, but also shivering, body. He held his breath as Heero stirred and moved against him. Luckily he was soon motionless again and still fast asleep. Duo lay he face close to Heero, who's breath kept his nose warm. His presence and even breathing calmed him down in a way he never expected a stranger could.

Soon a dreamless sleep enveloped him too.

What awoke him the next morning was not the sun, though it was already starting to burn his exposed skin, but instead it was the stirring of the body lying so close to his. Duo opened his eyes, at one hand cursing the bright sun, but at the other hand glad he could see the world around him again, though not sure if that made the desert, or the face before him, look any more inviting. Just as Duo became aware of his surroundings and the precarious situation he had woken up to, Heero's eyes opened, mere inches away from his.

The incredibly blue eyes widened when Heero realised what he was looking at and he jerked his body out of Duo's embrace, untangling his limbs from Duo before jumping up to his feet.

Duo quickly rose as well, pretending nothing happened and hoping to God Heero would too.

'Were you _cuddling_ me?!' The normally stoic Asian demanded with disbelief.

Duo snorted, but his reddening cheeks betrayed him. 'No, I wasn't _'cuddling' _you, ya fag!' He called defensively, embarrassed at being 'caught'.

Heero gave him a strange look but didn't say a word. He broke eyecontact and scanned the environment as though it might have magically changed over night. But it hadn't. Only shifting dunes and clear blue sky could be seen by their darting sets of eyes. The ocean was no longer view but Duo supposed Heero knew which way to turn by looking at the position of the sun in the sky, or so he hoped. Whatever means of navigation he had, he turned ninety degrees and started walking again with a pace as murdering as yesterday.

'Do you have even the slightest clue where you're headed?' Duo asked him as he stumbled after him. 'I mean, what water source did you have in mind? The Nile?'

'That's actually very creative of you, how you integrated you're geographical knowledge in that useless sarcastic remark of yours.' Heero said mockingly, not bothering to hide his annoyance at the incessant talking of his American 'friend'.

Duo huffed, but didn't say anything, by this time he didn't care if they would die of dehydration and starvation, at least than, on arrival at Heavens gates, he could say: 'Told you so.'

The hours crept by agonizingly slow, especially when the sun was highest in the sky and it was most hot. The occasional glance at his arms told Duo he was going to be in excruciating pain tonight. His skin was tomato red and hypersensitive to the touch and he could feel the same, itchy, burning sensation on his nose, cheeks and forehead. He envied Heero, who wore long sleeves, but Heero's face and neck were also left exposed and turning red. Duo knew that if they kept on going like this they would soon get delusional and then it wouldn't take long for them to pass out, but Heero's step didn't waver once, not even when Duo swore he could hear their skins sizzling.

And it was just as tedious as it was exhausting. Duo tried to fight the engulfing boredom by talking, but the fun was soon sucked out of that he the only response he got were the occasional 'hn's' from Heero and he wasn't even sure if that was even a response to his comments as much as it was a mere sigh or grunt.

And the landscape never changed as they went up and down dune after dune. A little past noon Duo almost hoped the hallucinations would start soon, at least it would be somewhat interesting and a welcome relief of staring at Heero's backside ever since they woke up in the morning.

'Shouldn't we have a lunchbreak or something?' He asked needily.

'There is no lunch, so why stop?' was the stern reply.

'Because I'm tired.' Duo breathed.

Heero didn't repond.

'Heero can we please stop?' Duo begged, annoyed at being ignored. _How dare he?_

Again Heero said nothing and stubbornly kept on walking.

'If we won't take a break _right_ now, I'm gonna start singing!'

Heero came to a halt with a sigh, already halfway up the dune. He slowly turned to Duo. As suspected his face was just as red, especially his nose. His bangs were wet and clung to his forehead like his shirt did to his chest and back. He assessed Duo's face and probably came to the conclusion it had not been an empty threat.

'Fine.' He grumbled, his lack of objections indicated he was just as tired, though a little more determined and faithful, as Duo was.

That was all Duo needed to hear. He let himself fall backwards. The loose sand cushioned his fall but it wasn't comfortable. The sand was so hot he could feel it all the way through the thick fabric of his jeans. It was uncomfortable and he couldn't place his hands on the sand because that was downright painful, but his body refused to stand up.

Heero remained standing and wiped the sweat off his brows with his sleeve. By now his T-shirt was a light grey and a darker shade at his chest, his back and under his arms. He looked disheveled and awful and no doubt smelled even worse than he looked, but Duo was in no better condition so he didn't pass any judgement.

'Where are we going, Heero?' Duo asked, desperate and tired.

'There is a village nearby.'

Duo groaned. 'How on earth can you find a _village_ in the middle of the biggest goddamned desert?'

He looked up at Heero, panting from the heat and the exertion. 'We'll never make it. It's a miracle we've lasted as long as we have without water in this kind of heat.'

'We will make it.' There wasn't the slightest trace of doubt in Heero's voice. But then again, there wasn't the slightest trace of anything in Heero's voice, monotone as ever.

They waited for a few moments, catching their breaths.

Duo was convinced the only place they were headed towards was Heaven. Or Hell. He didn't know. He didn't know who Heero was and how he had lived his life. How he even ended up in this situation. _What made him step on that boat_? Duo wondered, looking at Heero, standing tall and proud halfway up that dune, he chest heaving as he panted, his hands on his hips, his shirt clinging to his body because of his sweat and the wind, looking thoughtful out over the expanse desert. _He must have known it was dangerous…_

'I suggest we get going.' Heero said firmly. It wasn't a suggestion as much as a command.

Duo just nodded, to tired to argue and rose to his feet with a groan. They were gonna die anyway, whether he rested five minutes longer or didn't. It didn't matter. And he supposed there was no use to keep on trying to pry Heero's last name out of him, because that didn't matter either. He wondered why they still kept walking, as though they would really get somewhere if they just kept on putting one foot in front of the other. It was madness. It was hot, tedious, exhausting madness, but he followed Heero anyway, figuring he'd succumb to insanity even sooner if he would give up and stay behind.

'Fuck.' Duo cursed a few hours later, interrupting his own mindless chattering, as he hadn't had the strength to fully lift his right foot out of the sand and he stumbled and fell forward. The hands he had brought up to protect himself sunk into the sand to halfway up the forearm. He looked up at Heero, who had stopped and turned to see what the profanity was about, but he didn't offer any assitance.

Grumbling and cursing some more under his breath, Duo stood up with great effort. Once he was up Heero turned and started walking again, no words spoken.

Duo bit back his sarcastic 'Yeah, I'm okay, thanks for asking.' He couldn't stand Heero ignoring his comments, his actions or even his mere presence one more time. It was easier to just think of Heero not so much as a companion but as a mere, non human, beakon up ahead that he was following and that he was being a freakin' lunatic for doing do…

Night fell once more but not even the darkness could make Heero stop, nor Duo's complaints or his begging.

'Heero, please.'

No answer.

'Heerooo.' He whined.

Heero said nothing.

Duo sighed. 'Heero…You leave me no other choice…' He said warningly.

Total silence dragged on.

'First I was afraid… I was petrified...'

'Duo.' Heero said in threatening tone, as the singing had begun.

'Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side-'

'Duo!'

Undaunted he carried on from the top of his lungs with a smile on his face and dramatic gestures of his hand: 'But then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong and I grew strong… And I learned how to get along-'

'_Fine_!' Heero caved and turned around to face Duo with what was no doubt a furious expression, but the darkness disguised everything, including Duo's smirk, as they both sat down in the cooled sand.

'I was just about to get to the best part…' Duo chuckled at his own mock pouting, as no one else did.

Heero was unresponsive and just lay down.

The temperature dropped quickly, but Duo rather shivered than risk waking up with Heero in his arms again, his knee dangerously close to his groin. He especially couldn't risk it now, after, of all songs, he picked 'I will survive' by Gloria Gaynor to sing. He regretted it even more when he closed his eyes, after hearing Heero's snores again, and found he couldn't get the song out of his head.

Oh no, not I. I will survive. For as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive. I've got all my life to live. I've got all my love to give and I'll survive. I will survive.

**I hope you liked.**

**Love,**

**Crimson.**


	3. Chapter 3

**The last few months I have been living in the past A new chappie, it's a bit disappointing, I think, because nothing really happens, but it's necessary to give everyone a sense of how long they are in the desert so I'm stretching. It also took me longer than I had expected because I finally revised Boy on the Rooftop and was inspired to write an arc of cute short stories, so my mind was completely elsewhere. Forgive me**

**Made in Heaven**

_Chapter three: One hour later_

'And so you're back, from outer space. I just walked in and find you here with that sad look apon your face!'

'Fine, we will rest.' Heero grumbled.

One hour later:

'Oh and Kenny always dies. Every episode. And then they go like: 'Oh my God, you killed Kenny!' You've seen Southpark, right?' No response came from the guy walking ahead of him. 'Of course you haven't. You're one of those martial-art-health-freaks, aren't ya? You probably don't even own a tv. Spend all your time working out, fighting crime, saving damsels in distress… flying around in blue tights and red underwear and everyone hates you for making that look good.'

One hour later:

'And you know what's stupid? She doesn't even recognize the guy! I mean, his disguise is taking off his glasses and overgelling his hair! What's with that? Is she a retard or something? I've never been much of a Lois Lane fan anyway, especially in that series when she was played by Terri Hatcher. But that show was on for way too long. I mean, with the other aliens coming back for Superman who is supposed to save them, 'cuz a planet full of supermen and superwomen can't fend for itself…'

One hour later:

'Did you know that Nicolas Cage named his kid after Superman? And I don't mean he named him Clark, or even Kent, because _that_ I could have lived with. No, he named the poor kid Kal-el. I suppose his idea of turning a boy into a man is having him get teased suicidal all the way through highschool.'

One hour later:

'I liked him in Con-air and Face/off, but not so much in Snake eyes, while that movie was only shot about a year later. I don't know why. You know who else played in Face/off? John Travolta. I don't really like him… My favorite actor has to be-'

'Duo!'

Innocently, Duo looked up at Heero walking ahead of him, who had turned to face him with a mad look in his eyes.

'What?' He asked, batting his eyes.

'I do not care for your favorite actor, anymore than I care for John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Clark Kent, Superman and Southpark!'

'And puppies and hugs, I bet.' Duo mumbled.

Heero waited for his breathing to calm and for the throbbing blue veins to disappear back into his neck again before he asked in his familiar, monotone voice: 'Could you please be quiet?'

'No.' Duo stated firmly.

Heero blinked but was otherwise unmoved as he stood on the dune with his perpetually annoyed body language.

'I'm thirsty, I'm hungry, I'm tired, I'm bored…' For each point he brought out a finger and continued till he was out of fingers, all the while staring at Heero, begging for his understanding, perhaps even a bit of sympathy and compassion, but Heero's gaze remained dead and cold. He buried his hands in his hair and pulled till he could feel the pain sear through his burned, hot scalp. 'Heero, I'm going _insane_! I don't know how you can take this all, but I _can't_. The only thing I can do to keep my mind off a certain, horrible death is talking, so that's what I'm doing. It's either that or spontaneously combusting.'

Heero didn't say anything in return. He stared at him for a while, assessing him perhaps.

On the receiving end of that cold, calculating stare, Duo felt uncomfortable. He didn't know Heero. For all he knew he was a serial killer who was on that boat to begin with to flee the country after murdering several people for incessant talking. Was that really so unlikely, considering the circumstances?

Heero shook his head. He turned around and walked up the next dune. He wondered why Heero was so determined and so sure of himself. Was he so naive that he could not see there was no way they could reach this supposed village before the desert claimed them or did he really calculated in everything and still ought the possibility of us surviving plausible?

Heero must be either a genius or a retard, Duo thought to himself. With a sigh, Duo reluctantly trailed after him, the footsteps he had made in the sand were already starting to face away to nothing. He kept his eyes fixed on the other's perspiring back, occasionally giving a brief glance to their never changing surroundings.

He wanted to know more about the guy and had more than once asked for a little information on himself seeing as he didn't appear to be in any state of volunteering any. But his only answer was Heero's characteristic silence.

'Do you believe someone can die spontaneously combusting?'

No audible nor visual response came from Heero so Duo felt safe to continue.

One hour later:

'I had a puppy growing up, ya know? And he died. Of course, he didn't spontaneously combust. My parents wanted to get a cat, but I didn't, I'm not really a cat person. Not yet at least. I mean, there's plenty of time to get a cat when I'm senile. wanted to call him Goober, but my father wanted something more respectable when he hosted dinnerparties for his boss and his wife so we ended up naming him Toby.'

One hour later:

'Then he got hit by a truck… I miss him… he was a really good dog… My mother hated him. He was always shedding all over the furniture and the carpet. He was blond and our couch was dark blue so you imagine how that must have been for her. It drove her insane. She came this close to following him around the house with a dustbuster. Then she died… She also got hit by a truck,' Duo gave a meek little laugh, regretting he had brought up this particular topic, 'How ironic is that?' He stopped when he noticed Heero had and looked up at him.

Heero was giving him that cold, empty stare of his again, it was unnerving. But he surprised him by saying: 'I had a dog too.'

Bewilderd Duo stared up at him for a moment, his jaw slack. 'What was it's name?' He asked when he found the ability to speak again.

'Ookami. That is Japanese for wolf.' Heero explained and then started walking again.

Duo smiled. 'I knew you were Oriental! Erm, I mean, _Asian_.' He walked after him, chatting on. 'I had a Japanese friend once, he was my best friend, albeit he was a bit weird. He bleached his hair and stuff, making everyone think he was a fag. And he always called me 'Baka'. I don't know what that means, but it was funny. The way he said it… He was the best. Ya know, he taught me some Japanese, like, uhm… 'kuchi', means mouth and 'shinzou' means heart. He only taught me some bodyparts and some foods. I wonder why. Maybe because that was all I was interested in.' He laughed hard.

One hour later:

'Gyuunik (beef), torinuku (chicken), butaniku (pork), shichimenchou (turkey), hitsujiniku (lamb) and hamu (ham).'

When he was done listing all the names of foods his friend had taught him, he continued on with all the beverages he knew.

And Heero never once complained.

**Ah, I think the end was kinda sweet…**

**Love,**

**Crimson.**


	4. Chapter 4

The last few months I have been living in the past

**Anf600: I'm sorry I've discontinued so many stories, I'm glad you are enjoying this one though. I don't tinted to discontinue this one ;) By the way, if you haven't already, you can read My Sister ain't Home. This story was technically finished only I decided to paste a sequel to it. Chapter 1 to 18 is the original story. 19 and 20 are the first two chapters of the sequel I had wanted to write. I hope you will enjoy this chappie, thnx for reviewing! **

**Made in Heaven**

_Chapter four: Lightheaded_

He was tired. He couldn't remember the last time he felt as tired as he did then and he dared to bet he never had in his entire life. He barely got any sleep that night, shivering in the cold, getting sand blown up his nostrils when a small storm hit and he hadn't dared to lay down again after seeing a black scorpion walking right past his face just when he opened his eyes out of tired annoyance.

When Heero woke up to see him standing there, with his eyes redrimmed and half lidded, the Asian hadn't even bothered to ask if he was okay. He just rose from the ground, dusted off his shirt and dark jeans and led them further on again.

With a grumble, Duo had followed.

The silence must have surprised Heero, for after a few moments the young asian man looked back over his shoulder at Duo, trailing his footsteps in the shiftings sand with a forlorn look on his face. Duo noticed, but didn't mention it. Heero quickly looked ahead again. He didn't say anything either.

Duo was too tired, too tired even to speak. He had just descended a dune and was about to follow Heero up the next when he realised he couldn't get his foot to move. When he looked down he saw they had both sunk into the sand to the ankles. He wiggled them a bit to loosen the sand, like he had to do with each step he had taken so far, but he didn't have the strangth to lift his heavy leg and bring his first foot back to the surface. He felt like bursting into tears. His legs felt heavy, his head felt light, the overall feeling he had in his body was weak.

With eyes welling up, but he blamed the sand irritating them, he looked up just in time to see Heero disappear behind the top of the next dune. Maybe he should call out, but Heero had been so succesful at tuning him out for the past two days he doubted he'd even hear. And even if he did, would he bother to come back? To come back and do what? Give him a peptalk? Carry him the rest of the way?

_Why can't I just die?_ Duo asked himself, wincing as he swallowed. His throat was so dry. His stomach so empty. He wanted to sit down, but he couldn't, this time of day the sand was too hot and would burn straight through the denim of his pants and the cotton of his underpants that desperately needed to be changed.

He thought he had felt dirty before, but this beat everything. Sand got into his shoes, his shirt, his pants, his hair, his ears, his nose, his mouth, his eyes… It got into everything. Maybe it even got into soul and started to erode his faith.

'What are you doing?'

Duo looked up again and saw Heero standing at the top of the dune, looking down at him with a deep frown. 'Having the time of my life.' He replied hoarsely, sagging down to his knees, lowering his head, looking down at the grains of sand that moved about in the wind.

As if his life hadn't been bad enough already, God just had to make sure he would end up in the Sahara with the most coldhearted, but hot-bodied, guy he had ever laid eyes on. He was mean and controlling and pushy and quiet and stoic and angry and he annoyed Duo just as much as Duo annoyed him. Had the circumstances been any different, they would have gone separate ways and Duo had considered going in the opposite direction many times. He had even occasionally pivoted on his heels, but never had he taken a step in any direction other than the one Heero was heading in.

He looked up when he could hear the sand moving under Heero's feet and rolling down the dune when Heero approached him and came to a halt a few feet away.

He didn't say anything. Nothing encouraging, nothing insulting. He just stared at him.

'I'm through, Heero, I can't take it anymore.'

'If you wanted to rest, all you had to do was sing.' Heero said and sat down in front of with.

Duo looked up, amazed. 'Was that a joke?'

Heero just frowned.

'Nevermind.' He heaved a deep sigh. 'I don't want to rest, Heero. I want to quit. I want to lay down, hallucinate and die. You go on …'

Of course Heero didn't give him a reply, so Duo just listened to the wind whistling through the valleys between the tall dunes and occupied himself with his own miserable thoughts.

After long stretching moments of silence Duo curiously looked over when he heard the sound of sand running. He watched as Heero sat, completely relaxed, in the sand. He had taken off one of his boots and was holding it upside down so days worth of gathered sand could fall out. Once the steady flow came to a slow halt he repeated the action with the left boot and then put them back on. When he was done he just sat there, looking around.

'I told you, you could go, ya know?' Duo clarified, looking at the Asian man with a frown. 'No hard feelings.'

Heero looked at him lengthily, frowning and squinting against the sun. Finally, he just shrugged.

'Heero, please go. You're making me feel guilty.' He looked away.

'You need rest.'

'I don't need rest, I need death.' He snapped.

Heero didn't respond. For a few more minutes, could have been as little as five, or as many as fifty, they sat in the hot sand in complete silence. Watching the wind slowly change the landscape around them, like an artist adjusting his painting.

As suddenly and surprisingly as Heero had sat down close to him, he rose to his feet again.

Duo lowered his head, though he had practically ordered Heero to go, it was still somewhat offensive that it took so little persuasion to actually make him leave him behind. Wasn't this life or death situation supposed to create some sort of bond between the two of them?

Out of the blue, a hand appeared in front of Duo's face. A dirty hand, with grains of sand clinging to the damp palm and stuck under the dry and cracked fingernails. The knuckles were red and the skin was calloused. His gaze went past the hand offered to him, up the arm, past the shoulder, up the neck, to Heero's face. A black silhouette with dancing bangs, much like when he lay eyes on him on the beach a few, he had no idea how many, days ago, in this desert Duo had had no perception of time and space whatsoever. But what he did perceive was that on the beach Heero hadn't grabbed his hand, let alone offered it.

Uncertain, he wrapped his fingers around Heero's, who firmed the grip on his hand and with a strong jerk of his arm he pulled Duo up into a standing position. Shocked, Duo just stared into those amazing eyes, drowning in them. He awoke when Heero blinked and he suddenly realised just how close he was standing to him. So close, their bangs, with two slightly different shades, had mingled and their breaths stroked past each others faces. Embarrassed, he took a step back, but Heero didn't let go of his hand and for that, Duo was grateful. He really appreciated the physical contact, he hadn't even realised how badly he longed for it till Heero granted him this simple, but satisfying, touch.

Suddenly, it dawned on him. Heero was shaking his hand.

'I am Heero Yuy.' Heero started, 'I am standing here offering you my best to get us out of here and all I am asking in return is for your best effort. So, do we have a deal here?'

When he spoke, Heero's voice was as cold as ever and his eyes as empty, but the words firmly pronounced by his dry lips made Duo smile, amazed that Heero had actually been paying attention to him, even more so that he had remembered his exact words. And touched that he repeated them for the sake of having Duo's talkative companionship.

Duo's only response was a firm squeeze of Heero's hand, then, they both let go.

Heero was done talking, like he had used up his amount of words for the day, but to Duo, he couldn't have used them any better and it didn't even bother him that Heero remained quiet and cranky, like he used to, like it never happened and ignored ever Duo's every comment, joke and question. Heero may never admit so, but he liked having Duo rattling on about nothing as he trailed his fading footsteps in the sand.

Duo glowed. His steps got easier as his legs appeared a little less heavy.

Strangely, his head got not a bit lighter.

**Another short chapter, which seems to become the standard for this story, but atleast the updates are quick :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**It's been a long time, I know, I'm sorry. I'm trying to get back into the 'game'. I hope to update again soon**

**toni: Thank for reading and reviewing, I hope you will like this update, it sure took me a while ;)**

**Serenity a.k.a. Serena: Sorry I haven't been online much. I just bought a laptop and it doesn't have an internet connection yet and I haven't been behind my computer much since. I'm really down on inspiration right now, I'm quite sure you will notice, reading this chapter. I am trying though because I'm determined to finish it, even though that's a long way off. I really don't want to leave everyone hanging again so I promise I'll give it my best :) Thanks for your review. I hope you'll enjoy and leave another. **

Made in Heaven_Chapter five: exchanging information_

Duo let out a deep breath as they started the ascent of yet another another sandy dune. It seemed as though as time progressed, that their feet sunk deeper and deeper into the loose sand, easily stirred by the hot wind. Like their legs were as heavy as they felt. His head felt clear but the extreme heat became a nuisance beyond imagination. He felt irritated and frustrated and on the edge. Their was this fine line between sanity and insanity and he felt as though Heero was pulling him across. Minutes of silence turned into hours, who knew, maybe even days. The mystery of his being that Heero appeared to meticulously uphold had Duo questioning him.

He looked up at Heero's sweating back. The shirt, though dirty and now torn in some plavces, was of an expensive brand, no men that he had seen on the boat had any means of affording such a shirt, let alone the high quality jeans he wore that none of the African men had been wearing. They were all dressed in rags, most of them didn't even own shirts, let alone shoes as they walked barefoot across the hot sand of the beach when repairing the boats. Heero wore shoes. Boots no less and they appear to be of genuine leather.

Who are you?

'You know, I really don't remember you seeing on any of the boats.' Duo spoke up.

_Maybe he didn't hear me._ Duo thought as it remainded silence between the two of them except for the wind softly wistling around their boots. Duo narrowed his eyes at the back of Heero's wet T-shirt and his hair, stiffened by seawater salt and sand, struggling in the wind. Duo's eyes widened apon the realisation that Heero had his head slightly turned and was looking back at him through the corner of his eye.

Oh you heard me, alright. Duo grumbled. 'You know, I don't mind you ignoring me when I talk about the time I 'accidentally' glued my hand to my teacher's butt, but sometimes I do wish you would give me a response of some sort.'

'Hn…'

Duo waited. Fooling himself into believe more would come. More words. More noise. But Heero's sentence was finished only by their mutual harsh pants.

Duo rolled his eyes. 'Okay, any _other _form of response? Something that might actually qualify as a word or, dare I say, sentence?'

With stern eyes fixed on Heero's fading footprints in the sand he continued to follow the track up the dune till suddenly he bumped into a solid obstacle. Looking up he was greeted by cold blue eyes whose effect could not be counterbalanced by the scorching heat of the afternoon sun. Duo felt a welcome chill shoot down his spine, like thunder, to his feet, ankle deep in the sand.

'Is there anything you want from me, Duo?' Heero asked. His voice composed, but his fists were clenched and his knuckles were white.

Duo put up his bravest face and mirrored to the best of his abbilities the chilling glare he was at the receiving end of. 'Just some answers.'

Heero narrowed his eyes dangerously. 'I do not recall you asking me a question.'

_Thickheaded lunatic_, Duo thought. 'Alright, why didn't I see you on the boat?'

The Japanese man was already moving away from him with a pace as steady as ever.

Duo wiggled his feet out of the sand and hurried after him, struggling as his feet sand deeper and deeper as their neared the top of the dune, where the sand was constantly loosened by the wind.

'There were about sixty people on those boats.' Heero finally spoke matter-of-factly, 'The odds were against us meeting.'

Duo narrowed his eyes, preeping up to him was the feeling he was being to, blatantly. So near death, couldn't they have the decency to be honest with each other? 'Well, the odds were against us surviving and washing up on the same beach too, but we rocked that, didn't we?' He snapped.

Heero didn't respond to his raised voice, instead, he replied most sarcasticly: 'Yes, we did.'

Sick and tired of his arrogant behaviour Duo caught up with him and firmly planted his right hand on Heero's left shoulder and spun him around, stepping into his private space, noses nearly touching, he seethed, hanging onto his last shreds of control: 'Don't ya dare give me an attitude like that, _buddy._'

'I apologise,' Heero said unsincerely, his eyes blank, like he was looking straight through Duo and was staring into the distance, at the disappearing shoreline behind them, 'I was under the impression you wanted me to answer your questions and since you asked…'

_Smart guy…_ Duo let go of Heero, who immediately distanced himself from him. Duo took a few deep breaths and though the hot air brought relief whatsoever he soon found himself calming down. 'Be honest with me Heero, what are the chances of everyone dying except us?'

Heero tilted his head. 'Do you want me to answer.'

_Breathe Duo, Breathe._ 'Yes.'

'Slim.'

'Heero…' Duo warned.

'I do not know what you want me to say, Duo. I do not have all the answers.'

'But you have some, don't you?'

Silence.

'Dammit Heero!' he kicked sand at him. It didn't reach much higher than Heero's knees, but to Duo it felt satisfying and tasted like more. 'Can't you atleast pretend to care? Pretend to care about all those people who died and pretend to care that we will follow suit?'

Heero just looked at Duo. Blank, just the tiniest hint of confusion. He blinked as Duo continued his tantrum.

'How do I know I can trust you?! Because you saved my life?!'

Heero looked away. He seemed to be in deep thought for a while, his eyes were moving from side to side as he appeared to be searching for his answer in the sand, but he came up with nothing. After a while, he gave up and he turned away from Duo again and started to take one determined step after another, as he had been doing sicne they left the beach they washed up on.

'Please Heero!' He ran after him but stopped a few feet short, Heero just kept on walking. 'Please just… just talk, or… or sing! Just do something that will prevent me from going insane!' Duo buried his hands in his dry hair, near deperation. His face was redder, redder than the sun could ever burn it and his felt his eyes stinging with tears that slid down his cheek like drops of water on a hot plate. They evaporated in the harsh heat of the sun, none made it past the cheekbone.

He felt stupid, so incredibly stupid. For ever setting foot on those boats. For ever following Heero into the desert. For ever letting things get to him like this. It was the heat, he knew it was, it was messing with him and the most frustrating was there was nothing he could do about it. For the heat would be taunting him, making him sweat and pant and getting him all frustrated and irritated right to the very end.

Through his tears he noticed Heero had stopped and turned to face him again. His image nothing but a vague silhouette against the bright like coming from behind the steep dune that was as much as the Everest to Duo as the Everest could ever be. A journey too hard, a summit too high.

'What do you want me to talk about?' Came Heero's voice, unexpected.

Duo's head shot up, in one motion he wiped his bangs and tears out of his eyes. Now that he had Heero where he wanted him, he wasn't sure what he wanted from him. 'Just… uh, tell me something about yourself.' He opted. All of a sudden he worried that he would be forcing Heero into something he didn't want. He should take in mind that these would be Heero's last days on earth too, if he wanted to spend them in silence shouldn't he repsect that?

When his vision cleared he assessed Heero face. His complexion was tanned. His nose, cheeks and forehead were a bright red. His eyes were narrow and dark. His head was tilted a bit. Maybe he was confused. Maybe he was suffering from a neurological disorder… Atleast the perpetual angry look that he kept over him, as if intentional, seemed to be fading behind a thin veil of confusion and understanding.

Duo's face split into a watery smile. The effort alone, was relieving him of his frustrations. 'Tell me something about yourself.' He said encouragingly. The feelings of guilt and selfishness were but a mere distant throb. He needed this. More than Heero needed the silence, he was sure.

A slight frown appeared on Heero's sunburned face. He formed a look of deep concentration. 'My name is Heero Yuy.' He said a short while later, looking at Duo for approval.

Duo nodded, but the insecure way in which he was searching for his words, so inappropriate for his character, so far Duo could effeciently judge, had him wondering. 'Yes?' Duo encouraged him.

'I am from Japan.'

'Which part of Japan?' Duo helped.

'Okinawa. Motobu.'

Duo nodded, as though he understand. Truth was he knew nothing of Japan. Okinawa and Motobu were names unknown to him. He decided it would be most fair to, instead of interrogating Heero, to exchange information. 'I'm from the United States of America. I've lived in Washington all my life. We had this huge white house with a red door and blue windowframes. What was your house like?'

Heero though for a moment. 'Small.' He decided with a nod.

Duo repressed the urge to snort, he shouldn't have expected any more. 'You said before you had a dog named Ookami, what kind of a dog was he?'

'She was a crossbred'

'Oh… Toby was a golden retriever.'

They looked at each other, now both uncertain how to proceed.

With a leap of faith, Duo opted to press his luck. 'So, what were you doing on those boats?'

The drastic change of topic didn't go unnoticed by Heero. Who blinked and refused to answer, the angry, distrusting look returned to his face.

Duo stared right back at him, not relenting. He himself remembered the night quite clearly, up until he found himself struggling beneath the surface. Flaying his arms around him in the water wildly, not knowing which way was up and which was down. In the dead of night, the sky was as dark as the depths of the ocean. The memory of the panic he had felt at that moment would never be erased.

'Tell me first what you were doing on those boats.'

Duo grinned. 'So two can play that game, huh?'

Heero's expression turned smug at the positive response. 'Either we exchange information. Or we live with the secrets.'

Duo's grin broke into a smile. Enjoying this little game too much he played along. 'So,' he started and began walking again, this time he was the one to lead, leaving Heero behind, standing calf deep in the sand, he could feel the blue eyes on him as he continued: 'what kind of crossbred was she?'

He didn't know what Heero facial response was to that remark, but he liked to believe a secret smile. His skin already tingled with curiosity and he hoped he would live long enough to find out what Heero was doing on those boats.

**Be merciful.**

**Love, **

**Crimson.**


End file.
